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Furthermore, as a role, it was largely the result of barbaric cultural norms, and trying to reframe it as a "third gender" is ethically bereft. In societies wh
by teakettle42 5y ago
Furthermore, as a role, it was largely the result of barbaric cultural norms, and trying to reframe it as a "third gender" is ethically bereft.
In societies where women are treated as valuable familial property, normalized abuse of male children and adolescents is also often prevalent.
The same article could be written about Afghanistan's "dancing boys"; they have unique social positions, rules, hairstyles, and forms of dress, wearing clothes "similar to those worn by unmarried young women".
We rightfully recognize it as sexual slavery and child prostitution, not a third gender.
- bencollier49 5y agoThat's an interesting parallel with St. Paul's position on sexual morality. He appears to condemn varieties of homosexual behaviour, but it's in the context of institutionalised behaviour in Roman society which possibly parallels that in Afghanistan today.
- gatlin 5y agoA communication misfire I see frequently across perceived ideological boundaries may be summarized as such: Person A: "social phenomenon XYZ is being abused / misappropriated / spun in a way by people with power" Everyone else: "you are a bigot who opposes XYZ!" Person A: reasons that if honest self-expression and concern expressed with nuance yields nothing but insults in response that maybe their original position was too cautious...
- zozbot234 5y agoInterestingly, St. Paul actually condemns both "homosexual" behavior and 'fornication' in very similar terms, and the latter is probably a reference to the practically institutionalized pandering of female slaves as prostitutes that was also a major part of Graeco-Roman sexual norms.